- Action against homegrown terrorist networks
After two rounds of air force action, armed hostilities between the neighbours seem to be ending for the time being at least. Among initial signs of the easing of the crisis is the return of Pakistan High Commissioner to India who had been recalled to Islamabad after the Pulwama attack. There are reports of a Pakistani delegation visiting New Delhi next week followed by the return visit of an Indian delegation to Islamabad to discuss the modalities of opening the Kartarpur Corridor. Samjhota Express has resumed operations.
PM Modi has by no means turned into a peacenik. The animus and the desire for revenge still persist. But Modi who is now fully involved in the election campaign has little stomach for another misadventure that could be used against him by the opposition alliance. Meanwhile a Reuters report on the botched up Balakot “attack,” with aerial pictures showing the structures of the seminary as intact as these were a year back, has provided the opposition lethal evidence to tear apart Modi’s narrative along with the statistics invented by BJP president Amit Shah.
The Modi government is now pushing for a multi-pronged diplomatic action across the world capitals to ensure the UNSC lists JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist on March 13. India is also preparing to concentrate on Pakistan’s vulnerabilities in addressing the FATF concerns. While we are told that the state had already the will and a plan against the terrorist networks and the action is not being taken under any pressure, federal secretary finance has a different story to tell. He has cautioned that Pakistan had to proceed against the banned outfits in the light of FATF recommendations. He also expressed apprehensions that Pakistan might face economic sanctions if the FATF recommendations were ignored and not implemented. This shows that Pakistan is still required to do more or stay in the grey category with a dire economic fallout. Apparently there is a disconnect among the echelons of power which could cost the country’s economy if not removed at the earliest.
